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This study uses autoethnography to examine the impact of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 on policing and public health in the UK. Bridging the gap between scholarly discourse and practical law enforcement insights, this paper aims to highlight the cognitive dissonance experienced by frontline officers when using policing methods that conflict with evidence-based practices and personal values. It critiques routine police procedures, highlighting the ineffectiveness of criminal sanctions in reducing drug offences and the resultant damage to community trust and police legitimacy.

Using autoethnography and critical reflection that combines personal narrative and ethnographic observation, this paper presents a practitioner's perspective on the challenges of enforcing low-level drug offences. It integrates the author's experiences as a neighbourhood police officer in Camden Town, London, with theoretical analysis to highlight the practical realities of drug law enforcement at the intersection of law enforcement and public health.

This research reveals contradictions between current drug law enforcement strategies and public health objectives, and the consequences for law enforcement. It highlights the risks of limiting police discretion and preventing their ability to respond appropriately to complex needs. The paper emphasises the need for public health and trauma-informed policing strategies to mitigate the adverse effects on vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.

Improved public health outcomes: prioritising treatment and support over punishment. Adoption of trauma-informed practices: reducing marginalisation, stigma and improved experiences of police interaction. Improved trust and legitimacy: when the public perceive policing as fair and aligned with community values, it strengthens procedural justice and police legitimacy. Enhanced officer well-being: an improved working environment and experience, through more meaningful, impactful work and improved interactions and relationships with the public. Policy change: policymakers should recognise the discretionary role of police when developing drug policy and acknowledge the risks associated with enforcement approaches that conflict with community needs and broader policing objectives.

Offering a novel critique of prohibitionist drug policies within the British context, this paper advocates for a cultural shift towards public health and trauma-informed approaches in UK policing. It emphasises the importance of recognising police officers' discretionary role as “citizen-agents” and the integration law enforcement approaches with harm reduction initiatives for enhanced procedural justice and police legitimacy.

PROPERLY administrated, the reading room—displaying newspapers, magazines, and ready‐reference books—may, in spite of all that has been said to the contrary, become an important contributory factor in the educational work of our libraries. Let us examine the position closely. It is admitted, even by intemperate opponents, that the reading room is one of our most frequented departments. How, then, may the librarian make it of real educational value to the frequenters? This is a significant question, and, in the limited space available, we propose to indicate a few directions in which much might be done to enhance the utility of this department, and, within certain limits, to systematize its work on the lines of the policy governing the circulating departments. First of all, there is the important question of planning the room; and, although the size and arrangement must, to a large extent, depend upon the local requirements, a few general observations, applicable under almost all circumstances, may here be made. The room should be so designed as to facilitate supervision—glass partitions being more desirable than solid walls. Wherever practicable, the exit should be within view of the staff. For passages between tables, ample space should be allowed—six to eight feet being a reasonable width where movable chairs are used. The accompanying plan obviates the necessity for further comment, and will, perhaps, convey a clearer idea of what is required.

OUR new features of record and reminiscence appear to have been appreciated by our readers; and, as this number shows, we continue with increased pages and are endeavouring to extend our scope to meet every kind of library interest. There is an atmosphere, of change and, as some think, of crisis, in library matters, especially in those of the public library. The winter to which our minds turn in mid‐September is likely to be interesting and may bring decisions of various kinds. We hope to reflect them, and, as is our invariable custom, invite readers to use us to express their views as well as their experiences.

Salmonella in eggs hit the headlines in December 1988 and the hazard of contaminated eggs was discussed in virtually every news programme and newspaper. The problem was not wholly new: outbreaks of salmonellosis from eggs had been well documented for many years. Usually eggs which were dirty, cracked, or contaminated after breaking were used to prepare egg dishes which received no further cooking. Egg dishes such as home made mayonnaise, home made ice cream and egg nog featured prominently in published outbreaks of food borne disease.

HAVING outlined the scheme for monotyped catalogues, it only remains to consider it in its financial aspects. At Hampstead tenders were obtained for the same catalogue by monotype, linotype, and by ordinary setting up. It may be mentioned that the catalogue is of royal‐octavo size, in double columns, each being fifteen ems wide and fifty deep. Main entries are in bourgeois; subject‐headings are set (by hand) in clarendon, and the entries under such headings are put in brevier. Notes and contents were specified for either minion or nonpareil, and many lines break into part‐italics. The monotype machine provided all these founts except the two already mentioned—italic numerals and clarendon. We had to do without the former type, but the latter not being numerous are easily carried in as wanted from an ordinary case. Naturally, I cannot give the exact figures of the accepted tender, but it may be stated that in our particular case the cheapest quotation was for linotype work, although there was not much difference between that and monotyping; whilst for both these methods worked out at appreciably less than the quotations for ordinary hand‐work.

WHILE there is no doubt that the system of issuing books at “net” prices is of great benefit to booksellers, there is also no doubt that, unless care is taken, it is a serious drain upon a limited book‐purchasing income. A few years ago the position had become so serious that conferences were held with a view to securing the exemption of Public Libraries from the “net” price. The attempt, as was perhaps to be expected, failed. Since that time, the system has been growing until, at the present time, practically every non‐fictional book worth buying is issued at a “net price.”

LIBRARIANS in charge of small municipal collections are sometimes apt to forget, when enviously regarding some of the larger libraries, that, in many ways, a small library has advantages over its larger rivals, and may even carry out ideas and suggestions which are too laborious to be carried out on a very great scale. As an illustration, I wish to cite the experience of my own library at Bingley, and show how, by working out these suggestions, the membership has been raised from 700 to 1,600, and the annual issues from 24,000 to 54,000 volumes.

The tragedy of the War has come very close to librarians in the death of Mr. W. G. C. Gladstone, M.P., from wounds received in action in Flanders on April 14th. About two years ago he became interested in the new Libraries Bill, and took charge of it in the House of Commons. He worked assiduously, and his historic name, and his genial, unaffected manner won over men on all sides of the House, insomuch that the backers of the Bill included members of every political complexion. War has intervened, and prevented the Bill's progress, and now our Parliamentary leader has given his life for a greater cause. Regret for his loss is widespread throughout the country, and no one will feel it more keenly than librarians.

By the time these pages appear Christmas will have become but a memory; even the indigestion provoked in many of us by our zealous participation in the Christmas spirit will, it is hoped, have become a thing of the past. But as we write this spirit is abroad, and presents are still depleting our surplus finances. Every year more and more of these seasonable gifts take the form of books, and a very large percentage of children, particularly, will surely receive some reading matter from one or other of their friends or relations. Not so many years ago in most instances this Christmas book would be the only volume those children would see that year! Fortunately, we librarians can say, with Sganarelle, that “we have changed all that.” Our children's libraries throughout the country are sufficiently adequate to ensure that no child in a library area is unable to read to his or her heart's content—the days when three or four books must needs satisfy a child's thirst for reading have now been put definitely behind us.

MID‐OCTOBER sees the activities of the library world in full swing. Meetings, committee discussions, schools at work, students busy with December and May examinations in view, and a host of occupations for the library worker. This year—for in a sense the library year begins in October—will be a busy one. For the Library Association Council there will be the onerous business of preparing a report on State Control; for libraries there will be the effort to retain readers in a land of increasing employment and reduced leisure; and for the students, as we have remarked in earlier issues, preparations for the new syllabus of examinations which becomes operative in 1938. It is a good month, too, to consider some phases of library work with children, “which,” to quote the L.A. Resolutions of 1917, “ought to be the basis of all other library work.”